FROM THE FOUNDATION

All Over the Map

Newly updated to include breast cancer, prostate cancer, and spine procedures, this CHCF-sponsored research shows that practice patterns vary dramatically from place to place.

Medi-Cal Transforms

Medi-Cal is the main source of health insurance for one in five Californians. An updated report gives an overview of the program's key features, describes how the program is evolving, and examines the challenges ahead.

Obama Care in the Second Term

CHCF is a long-time sponsor of the UC Irvine Forecast Conference. A webcast of this year's conference on health policy in President Obama's second term is now available.

Health Care Reform

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Calif. GOP Candidates Making Health Care Reform a Campaign Issue

California Republican leaders are using the recent approval of health care reform legislation as a platform against Democrats in this year's upcoming elections, the Contra Costa Times reports.

California Republican Party Chair Ron Nehring said, "Independent voters do not support the health care bill," adding, "And, the longer health care is being discussed, the more independent voters will move in our direction" (Vorderbrueggen, Contra Costa Times, 3/22).

Senate Candidates

On Monday, the three Republicans running against U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in the November election all criticized the legislation (Bunis, Orange County Register, 3/22).

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and state Assembly member Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) said that, if elected, they would work to repeal the legislation. Former U.S. House Rep. Tom Campbell (R) did not go as far as the other two candidates, but he said he would seek significant changes to the legislation (Freking, AP/Ventura County Star, 3/22).

However, Campbell noted that if the public begins to view the health reform bill positively, there could be a backlash against politicians campaigning against it (Orange County Register, 3/22).

California's 11th District

U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.), who voted in favor of the health care reform bill, faces a tough re-election in November.

The four Republicans competing to face off against him all have pledged to make his vote for the health care bill a central issue in their campaigns (Contra Costa Times, 3/22).

Schwarzenegger Releases Statement

On Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) released a statement highlighting his support for comprehensive health reform but noting that its success will depend on whether states have either the "flexibility to live within the revenues that are available to them or the federal resources to fully fund its mandates" (Office of the Governor release, 3/22). 

Earlier this year Schwarzenegger warned that the federal plan would cost California an additional $4 billion to implement (Small, KPCC, 3/22)

Schwarzenegger said in the statement, "I hope state fiscal needs are carefully considered as this process goes forward" (Office of the Governor release, 3/22). 

Reader Comments:
  • 3
  • 03/23/2010
  • Robert Aita

Mr. Roache,
Please be aware that as the Health Insurance Exchanges come into being, our Federal elected officials will be required to access their health insurance through these same exchanges as we will.
I'm just sorry that this doesn't take place sooner as they have fed off of their constituents dole long enough.
Now, if we can just move their benefits to COBRA once they leave office and their pensions to time served in Congress, rather than lifetime, we'll really be on the right path.

  • 2
  • 03/23/2010
  • C. Dean Germano

A the last of the great western industrialized countries to have a plan to provide health insurance coverage for everyone (still leaving 20 million uninsured) this is long overdue. I believe that like Medicare, Social Security and Civil Rights, (most of which was also protested by the Republicans) this will be a well excepted and supported benefit by a majority of our citizens.

  • 1
  • 03/23/2010
  • James Roache

Perhaps new candidates seeking to replace those who supported this rediculous fiasco should consider the following: So what’s the big deal about it being unconstitutional to force a citizen to buy health insurance? The federal government has been forcing you to fund your retirement for 60 years. It’s called Social Security. If you have been working since 1960, you have already been buying your health insurance through a forced premium, that’s called Medicare. There is certainly nothing about either in the Constitution, yet we have allowed ourselves to have been regulated into going along with both for years. More interestingly, none of which our federal employees are required to purchase. In fact, we pay for amost 100% of their “Cadillac” retirement and health plans as taxpayers. New candidates would make a tremendous good faith statement if they refused to participate in these programs at the expense of their constituents and work to repeal these programs as well.



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